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I said on the 2013 album of the year thread that I'd start an album of the month thread. It hopefully could be a good way of finding hidden gems.

January is usually a quiet month for new releases. I'll compile a top five on Sunday afternoon if it's viable; if there's a wide range of albums mentioned with enough votes. Otherwise it can be a scroll down thread to read other users recommendations. I've started the thread today before the boards go quiet over the weekend.

There's no real rules. Mention as many albums as you like but just make your album of the month clear please.

My best January album is Hospitality - Trouble. I'm a huge fan of female fronted 90s bands and this album could easily slot amongst those. The new Hospitality album sounds similar to last year's Waxahatchee and just is brilliantly melodic. No new ground broken but a pleasure to listen to. I must have heard it nearly ten times since getting it on Monday.

Other honourable mentions go to the new Stephen Malkmus album which isn't as good as Mirror Traffic but is good nonetheless. The September Girls album was also good. They sound a cross between Dum Dum Girls and The Bangles. They were good live too at The Lexington earlier this month.

Mogwai. I'll check them out. Perhaps a bit of a cop out from me but I'll just count the top album mentioned from people and do a top five. I don't have the time nor inclination to do a spreadsheet/long tally of scoring points on an album of the month thread.

it's a bit of a tedious job, especially if you're making yourself do it every month. You'll probably get a bg enough range of albums to keep things interesting just from taking the top one people mention.

picked mine up today - it's great. The stuff written in the liner notes is both really, really trite and totally heartfelt and sincere so I don't know whether to mock it or embrace it. This album's confusing the shit out of me.

i think my favourite album released this month is 'Hi-Tech Boom' by Pow!

it is musically interesting and contains lyrical themes i am interested in. i also think the two (music + lyrics) are integrated well together in an interesting and creative way, i.e. the words are based around the loose theme of 'fear of technology' and lots of the album sounds like technology breaking (old smashed up synths, primal drum machines, fuzzy piece of shit guitars).

at various points throughout the month. they are mostly variations on indiepop, except the ex-easter island head and desmadrados... records which are both basically just GUITAR NOISE but done in two opposite styles (orchestrated and reflective vs. noisy and chaotic)

Malkmus album is great, his best after the s/t for me. Young Thug really came through with this mixtape, nice and short, packed with good tracks. Container EP is brutal, really regretting not going to see him a few months ago.

I need to check out Ex Easter Island head their releases keep getting better and better

But In no particular order

1. Secret Boyfriend - This is Always Where You Lived (BEB)
Pretty interesting release on Blackest Ever Black, probably one of my favourite things they have put out. It ranges from very melancholic fragmented folk pieces to much nosier songs. But it really works a beautifully fractured album.

2. Blank Realm - Grassed Inn
Decent record, I remember when these guys used to be a weird psych band but the power pop direction really works there are some killer tunes on this album see Falling Down The Stairs and Bulldozer of Love

3. Guardian Alien - Spiritual Emergency

This band reminds me Boredoms with their weird psych. But this album is worth checking out for the final killer 20 minute track, insane drumming and rhythm by Greg Fox formerly of Liturgy.

1 as mentioned above, the Black Portland tape is really great, both rappers really come through with inventive and dynamic flows all the time, especially enjoyable in a post-Migos hip hop world

2 while it doesnt quite reach the self titled record or mirror traffic for songwriting, malkmus really does what he does best on this and seems to be one of the few people to pull off really ridiculously proggy tendencies like that

3 theyve always been kinda hit and miss for me in the past but i was really impressed with the new TSMZ, especially with the vocals which i really didnt expect. excited to see them live.

Black Dirt Oak - Wawayanda Patent on MIE
Wonderful mixing pot of both musicians and sounds, most often Americana meets eastern sounds but with a bunch of curveballs thrown in and some great rhythms and catchy bits. I've basically had this on repeat and when I haven't it's been

Mogwai - Rave Tapes
Steven Malkmus - Wig Out
And the new Hospitality Record is pretty good too.

2. Human Hands – Human Hands LP
^Properly DIY emo/punk record from Birmingham/Iceland 3-piece. I'm a bit of a naysayer on this whole emo revival thing people insist is going on, but this is a special record to my ears. It's only £6 or stream it here http://humanhands.bandcamp.com

Where people didn't actually specify their favourite album I read their replies and went with the one that they seemed to enjoy the most. Where users such as said Pale-eyedBadger gave a reply of "Something like..." and gave a list I went with the first one mentioned. I hope that's all ok.

Thanks for doing this. You might want to extend the deadline a little bit longer into the month for February in case there are other people who want to join in.
Right, time to check out Damien Jurado (who I always get confused with that Jason Derulo fella), Hospitality and Pow!

has easily been my favourite January release. Look, they're not covering any new ground here. Lyrically it's heartbreakers and happiness (in love), or social injustice. Musically it harks back to 60s and 70s soul - lots of horns, a bass line knocking on the door of funky. (I guess those lyrical themes are reminiscent too, think Wilson Pickett, Al Green, Aretha and Erma Franklin etc etc). But the thing is every release has been at least the equal of the previous. And their debut was brilliant. So yeah, great record listened to it heaps.

East India Youth has been getting heavy and joyous rotation and I find myself drawn to Warpaint again and again, despite not really remembering any specifics.
Checked out Hospitality on the back for this thread and really like them, so thanks.